Catcher in the Rye
These darn teenagers, they have no respect for society. Everyone has heard a comment that makes a point similar to this. The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, takes this statement from another point of view -- the cynical teenager's. The narrator, Holden Caulfield, is a sixteen-year-old boy who found everything about the adult world "phony." The novel began with him looking back at a certain three days from the December before. They were three days during which he was constantly depressed. His tale started on a Saturday evening, playing football with a couple of his friends at Pencey Prep School. He was kicked out for flunking four subjects, all except English, at which he was considered a "hotshot." This is somewhat ironic because Holden constantly complained about hotshots throughout the novel. He made several comments on how phony everyone at Pencey was. He even cracked about the alumnus that donated the money to build his dorm wing. The story actually took off later that evening, after his roommate, Stradlater, returned from his date with Holden's childhood girlfriend, Jane Gallagher. Holden still seemed very attached to Jane and wanted to know that Jane didn't get taken. Stradlater wouldn't say what
After the events in the Lavender Room, Holden went up to his room, but encountered a pimp with whom a deal was made for a five dollar "throw." When the promised prostitute arrived, the strange nervous girl frightened the virgin Holden. This nervousness is also seen in Holden throughout the book. Holden sent the girl away without doing anything, but she requested ten dollars when Holden gave her only the five earlier agreed upon. Needless to say, the next morning the pimp returned to beat an extra five out of Holden. This little action may appear to be the actions of a horny teen, but it was also a demonstration of Holden straying from what was and still is socially and morally acceptable. After Holden left the slummy hotel, he spent a day where he seemed social and attempted to spend time with people, including an old flame, Sally Hayes. The day went well until Holden excitedly spewed forth a plan for the two of them to run off and party together on the "dough" he had in the bank. When the money ran out he would get a job and later they might get married. She obviously said no and Holden left her there alone. Holden's scheme demonstrates his lack of reality. Though he later realized the foolishness of that plan, he again lost sight of reality after a night spent in Grand Central Station. In this plan he described going away to a pla
Some common words found in the essay are:
Lavender Holden, Central Station, Holden Holden, Prep School, Sally Hayes, Holden Lavender, Holden Caulfield, Holden Allie, God Holden, Jane Jane, holden left, adult world, slummy hotel, decided home,
Approximate Word count = 913
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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